NEWS in General – March 2
“Thank you for your extraordinary care, compassion + bravery during these past two years. Please know that you are not alone. Many of us are staying home to protect our vulnerable family. We isolate. We mask. We are 3x vaccinated. We recognize and salute your efforts.
Thanks for keeping Guelph safe in these difficult times.
Sincerely, One of the many citizens of Guelph“
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GGH News
Visitor restrictions eased even further
Welcome new hires!
New SCN floor plan shows sheer scale of the upcoming renovation
Other News
Welcoming our Foundation’s new CEO
Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team Feb. newsletter (link here)
March is Nutrition Month!
Guelph Storm Health Care Appreciation Game
GGH News
Visitor restrictions eased even further
In response to the easing amount of COVID in the community, starting yesterday March 1, the hospital is allowing two visitors per patient per day without having to establish whether or not a visitor is “essential.” Only one visitor can be with the patient at any given time (ie: the two designated visitors may not visit at the same time). Palliative Patients may have two (2) visitors at the bedside at one time.
Visitors to admitted patients are still required to show proof of vaccination along with government-issued ID in order to enter. Each visitor is given a handout about what is needed to keep everyone safe while they visit. The handout is available here.
Welcome new hires!
February was a busy month for orienting new staff. Welcome to GGH!
New SCN floor plan shows sheer scale of the upcoming renovation
Saying our Special Care Nursery is being renovated doesn’t do justice to the scale of the changes. Funded by our Foundation’s Together We Care campaign, the $6.1 million project will completely transform the area on Level 6 and support the philosophy of family-centred care. It is an opportunity to enhance patient safety, improve the patient and family experience and help us to support best practice.
The project’s floor plan below shows the new SCN layout. To give a sense of the scale of the change, highlighted in blue is where the current hallway is located. Click image to enlarge.
Other News
Welcoming our Foundation’s new CEO
The Foundation’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Byczynski as the Foundation’s next CEO. Julie will succeed Suzanne Bone, who retires April 22 after leading the Foundation for more than 30 years.
Julie was appointed after a comprehensive selection process which was anchored in principles of equity, diversity and inclusion to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all candidates.
“Julie brings tremendous energy, expertise and experience to her new role as our CEO,” says Alicia Robertson, Chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. “Her experience spearheading large campaigns for veterinary health sciences, teamed with a passion for making a difference to cause and community, makes her the right fit for FGGH’s progressive, donor-focused, team-driven culture.”
Since graduating from the University of Guelph with Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees, Julie has had a 22 year career as a fundraising professional in various sectors and countries. She joins FGGH following a five year tenure as the Director of Advancement with the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph. OVC operates an emergency and tertiary care hospital, inspires donations through its compassionate service to patients, benefits from dedicated volunteers, and works collaboratively with extraordinary clinicians and staff in fundraising. During her time at OVC, Julie expanded and developed a high-performing team that has substantially grown fundraising results, surpassing their goal of raising $10M annually on a sustained basis.
Julie joins the Foundation at an exciting time with the completion of the Together, We Care campaign in sight and the focus clearly on how donor support can continue to save lives and improve health.
In anticipation of this new role, Julie says, “It’s an honour to be chosen as the next CEO for The Foundation of Guelph General Hospital. Guelph is home to me, and it will be a privilege to work alongside the dedicated staff, hospital leaders, generous donors and volunteers to advance one of the most critical institutions in our growing city. The pandemic has shown us the importance of having a strong and vibrant hospital to support the healthcare needs of our community today, and in the decades to come.” She adds, “I echo the FGGH Board’s gratitude for Suzanne Bone’s tremendous leadership over the past 31 years, and I’m committed to building on that success as we relentlessly pursue our mission to save lives and improve health.”
Julie’s first day will be April 25, 2022. We look forward to welcoming her to the GGH family.
March is Nutrition Month!
This month there are a number of exciting ways you can participate in Nutrition Month – please click here for a calendar of events and see below for more information:
Wellness Wednesdays
GGH Health & Wellness and The Bistro have partnered to offer Wellness Wednesdays where you can purchase a healthy & nutritious meal for $4.99 (!!) each Wednesday in March. Like what you eat? Drop by the display at the entry of the Bistro each week to see the Nutrition Month Display and grab a copy of the feature recipe. At the end of the month there will be a draw for a “Take & Make” meal kit with all the fixings and recipe to make a healthy meal yourself – all provided by Marek Hospitality!
Nutrition Month Seminar Series:
Nutrition information can be confusing at the best of times; it feels like the research and what you hear in the media are always changing! If you agree, please join us for any, or all, of the following webinars. Each time you attend, you will be entered into a draw to win one of five, $50 gift cards to Goodfood Meal Kit Delivery Service at the end of the month – this includes the recordings of the 30min sessions which will be made available on e-Learning 48 hours after the live sessions (to access, log into your e-Learning account and click on the following: Course Catalogue > My Courses > Additional GGH Courses > Health and Wellness).
Nutrition 101: Just the Basics! Friday March 4, 2:30-3:00pm
Protein: What’s the Big Deal? Friday March 11, 2:30-3:00pm
Eating Well for Shift Work: Thursday March 17 and Tuesday March 22, 7-8 pm
Eating Plan for Stress Management: Thursday March 24, 12-1 pm
Healthy Workplace Habits: Tuesday March 29, 12-1 pm
For descriptions of the sessions, or if you would like to receive the meeting link(s) and register, please email HealthAndWellness@gghorg.ca.
Snack Day, Monday!
Feeling a bit hungry and looking for a healthy treat? Come by the display at the entrance of The Bistro on Mondays at 11:30am or 4:00pm and pick up a snack of either fruit or granola bars to get you through your day.
Guelph Storm hockey is recognizing Guelph Wellington frontline health care workers with an appreciation game on Wednesday, March 16 at 7 p.m. vs. the London Knights. Tickets are being offered at a reduced price for health care workers ($20) and you will receive an exclusive gift from the Guelph Storm by showing your ticket at the gift table in front of the Guelph Storm administration office before the game.
Purchase tickets at www.guelphstorm.com – enter promo code: HERO before selecting your seat. If you have questions please call, (519) 837-9690 Ext. 0 or you can visit the Guelph Storm box office during regular business hours.